The goal of the Resilient Schools and Communities (RiSC) program and curriculum is to increase the climate science and resilience knowledge, and critical thinking skills, of middle and high school teachers and students and empower them to build resilience in their communities. Climate resilience can be thought of as the implementation of strategies and solutions that enable ecosystems, towns, and cities to prepare, adapt, and recover more quickly from climate-fueled disruptions.

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In March 2026, with the help of a teacher advisory committee and expert consultants, the National Wildlife Federation completed a standardized version of the RiSC Curriculum for a national audience focused on four climate impacts:
coastal flooding, inland flooding, wildfires, and extreme heat.

The interdisciplinary curriculum is comprised of three units that help teachers meet the Next Generation Science Standards.

 

Educators may choose to use all three units sequentially, or pick individual units and activities. Throughout the curriculum, students have the opportunity to conduct research, use digital tools, and investigate how their communities have changed over time. They examine local climate vulnerabilities using a streamlined RiSC Vulnerability Assessment, and use creative approaches to envision a future where people live in harmony with nature and technology is used thoughtfully and responsibly. They learn about and implement community-driven solutions that help build climate resilience.

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Three prior versions of the RiSC Curriculum (RiSC 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0) were written and tested by teachers and were tailored to New York City. These curricula enable students to understand the fundamentals of climate science and extreme weather risks. The accompanying RiSC Vulnerability Assessment, helps students to assess their schools and neighborhoods’ vulnerability to these risks. 

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Both RiSC 2.0 and 3.0 educate students about the value of nature-based features as tools for coastal defense. RiSC 2.0 emphasizes resilience to extreme heat. Both curricula engage students in understanding how issues of equity and justice, that are often neglected in urban planning, impact local communities; and they provide hands-on activities that help to empower students and build community resilience at both local (school campus) and community scales.

RiSC 3.0 focuses on the coastal frontline community of Coney Island, Brooklyn. There is a greater emphasis on climate justice; there are field trips to engage students in hands-on solutions to sea level rise and erosion through dune restoration; and there are projects that connect local schools with community members in an effort to increase social resilience - an idea generated by students themselves. 

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We believe it is all of our responsibilities to prepare this generation for the challenges, opportunities and careers of the future. We must ensure that those most vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis are supported with educational resources that empower them to implement climate solutions in their communities.